PMHD Earns DNV Accreditation

Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District is pleased to announce that it has achieved national accreditation from DNV Healthcare, the newest and first Medicare-approved hospital accreditation program that integrates the ISO 9001 quality management system with the Medicare hospital standards and that requires the organization to evaluate the continuum of patient care throughout an entire healthcare system [...]

Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District is pleased to announce that it has achieved national accreditation from DNV Healthcare, the newest and first Medicare-approved hospital accreditation program that integrates the ISO 9001 quality management system with the Medicare hospital standards and that requires the organization to evaluate the continuum of patient care throughout an entire healthcare system and take measured steps to improve when warranted..

CEO Richard Mendoza stated, “We are most proud to have been accredited by DNV on our first survey. The DNV program is more consistent with our long-term commitment to patient safety and total quality. There has not been a new hospital accreditation organization in over 40 years. The ability to integrate the ISO 9001 quality management system with our clinical and financial processes is a major step forward for us.”

DNV, which stands for Det Norske Veritas (the Nordic Truth), began offering accreditation in September 2008 after its accreditation program ( known as National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations, or NIAHO®) was authorized by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It is the only program that integrates the ISO quality management system with Medicare’s Conditions of Participation, the core requirements for hospitals set by the federal government. A hospital has three years to comply with the ISO 9001:2008 standards in order to maintain its accreditation with DNV. Accreditation allows PMHD to be reimbursed for its patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid.

DNV hospital accreditation addresses the demands of quality-driven hospitals that are dedicated to patient-centered care. As part of the accreditation process, DNV surveyors track the care of patients across various departments and facilities of Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District.

PMHD has been accredited by the Joint Commission for years, and hospital personnel are familiar with its accreditation process, but the Joint Commission does not require ISO certification. The Joint Commission also prescribes solutions to quality improvement whereas DNV allows hospitals to be innovative and create their own solutions.

“A key thing about the DNV process is that it helps to break down silos within the organization and to promote the best ideas no matter where they come from,” said Mendoza. “There are a lot of people and processes at work behind the scene as well as on the frontlines whose ideas can now help to provide the best care for patients.”

DNV’s accreditation standards offer a unique combination of CMS compliance requirements, known as Conditions of Participation, and quality-improvement techniques, such as Lean process improvement that together help ensure ongoing excellence within hospitals.

Unlike the Joint Commission program, which surveys every three years, DNV conducts annual on-site surveys that focus on cross-departmental collaboration and management innovation.

“The DNV accreditation program provides us the opportunity to simultaneously satisfy our Medicare accreditation requirements and to implement the ISO 9001 Quality Management System,” said Mendoza. “This is much more than an accreditation program; it’s a catalyst for our ongoing commitment to deliver higher levels of quality and service.”

DNV Healthcare Inc. is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Det Norske Veritas, a global independent foundation dedicated to safeguarding life, property, and the environment. For more information about DNV Healthcare and its NIAHO® accreditation program, visit http://www.dnvaccreditation.com.